Steam
by princessmelia
Summary: Zutara Week 2013: Day 1 Calor; Day 2 Euphoria; Day 3 Voices; Day 4 Gravity; Day 5 Bound; Day 6 Soothe; Day 7- Iroh was determined to put the spark back into his nephew's eyes.
1. Calor

_**A/N-** Welcome to Zutara Week 2013! Shall we begin?_

* * *

"So how are you enjoying the festivities?" Katara heard the voice and looked up, pleasantly surprised to find Zuko standing beside her.

"Everything's been great," she replied with a smile.

"Good. Good, I'm glad to hear it," Zuko replied with a slightly awkward air that made Katara fight back the urge to giggle. She always found it surprising that this man who commanded an entire nation could still be the awkward teenager he was at heart. There was something endearing about the way a blush crawled into his cheeks whenever some social scene made him uncomfortable, like the one he obviously had found himself in now.

"Do you want something Zuko?" she asked, trying and failing to keep the smile out of her voice.

"Uh, well, you see," he began, fiddling with his hands in a nervous manner. "At this festival every year, there's this dance called _El Calor de Verano_. It's a celebration of summer and the uh," he laughed nervously," passionate emotions it can induce." Zuko's cheeks began to burn an even darker red as he continued. "It's usually danced between two people with a… complicated past. And one of the things the dance centers on is how hate can be as strong as love, and given our relationship I thought- I mean, not that you hate me now. Or love me," he quickly added. "But I just thought since our past went from hate to a kind of friendship, that, you know, we could-"

Katara smiled and held up her hand for him to stop his rambling. "Of course I'll dance with you, Zuko."

The smile he gave her in return was one of the widest Katara had ever seen on the young Firelord's face. "Good. I mean, great!"

"So when does it begin?"

"In a few moments actually."

"And you waited to ask me until right now?" Katara questioned with mirth sparkling in her blue eyes.

"No. Well, yes." Zuko sighed. "Are we going to dance or are you going to continue mocking me instead?"

Katara laughed at this and stood beside him. "No, we'll dance. Come on," she grabbed his hand and headed for the part of the square marked off for dancing. As they made their way through the crowd, Katara slowly let Zuko lead the way, but never let go of his hand. To her mind she rationalized it was because she didn't want to be lost, but her heart knew other factors made the hand in her grip more important than a simple guide.

When they finally broke through the crowd to the edge of the dance floor, the previous dance was just ending. Before they could take their place, however, Katara pulled Zuko to a stop and asked, "Is there a special form for this dance?"

Zuko nodded but assured, "If you follow my lead, you'll be fine. It's just like bending. Trust me."

She hesitated, but the determined confidence in Zuko's golden eyes had her nodding along and taking his other proffered hand.

As the music began to play, Katara suddenly found herself in the middle of the dance floor, a now confident Zuko standing across from her. And while her heart beat fast, she was almost positive it was not from the nervousness of dancing in front of all these people, but from the young man standing before her.

Mirroring the moves and forms of the other women around her, Katara soon found the rhythm of the dance. It began with moves harsh and course- near slaps and hits between the partners and flourishes of kicks and twists. More than once she felt like she and Zuko were enemies once again, fighting with a fierce intensity that had always marked their relationship.

As the dance and music built, so did the burning energy inside of Katara. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her system, pushing her to make her next move crisper, more forceful. Likewise, Zuko began to dance with more ferocity, causing their dance to become a whirlwind of blocked attacks and swift moving blows.

All of a sudden, Katara's wrist was caught in Zuko's hand, immobilizing her. The music had slowed down and every couple was frozen exactly like them, yet it seemed they were the only two in the whole world. Slowly they began to circle each other, never breaking contact. Distantly Katara wondered if this was the love portion of the dance, but she couldn't seem to focus on anything but the man gazing at her with such an intensity she thought she would melt from the heat of it.

The music began to build like before, but the tension of the first part of the dance had changed. It was no longer a fight between the couples, but a game. Where would the other move? How could you evade his move while maintaining contact?

When Katara was spun into Zuko's arms, her hand landed on his chest with a thump and she could feel his heart beat fast under her palm. Looking up, she saw his gold eyes smoldering down at her, the sweat beading on his brow, and she was suddenly struck with one thought: when water and fire mix, you get steam.

The music seemed to fade away and the only sound that could be heard was their labored breaths. Within Zuko's eyes Katara could see a glint, a faint glimmer of something in the depths of his soul. But before she could identify it, applause broke the moment and the two blinked in surprise at the noise.

"You uh," Zuko started, the awkward teenager back again, "you dance well."

"As do you," Katara replied a bit too quickly. Realizing that they were still pressed close together, she rapidly took a step back. But before she could entirely break free Zuko grasped her hand tightly. Looking down at their linked hands and then back up to him, Katara felt a blush light up her cheeks and mirror Zuko's own reddened face.

"Would you care to accompany me?"

He didn't say where to, but Katara found she didn't care.

"I'd be honored."

And this time as they held hands it was not as a guide through the crowd or as enemies or even as friends, but as something filled with a tender warmth and heat.

* * *

_Thoughts?_

**-princessmelia**


	2. Euphoria

_**A/N-** I've got admit, this one was hard to come up something unique for, but I think I managed it fairly well._

* * *

"What is it?" Katara asked impatiently, tired of having her eyes closed.

"Just a few more steps, okay? Trust me," came Zuko's excited response and his rare tone of joy kept Katara from peeking her eyelids open.

"Fine," she sighed, but a smile graced her lips, unbidden. Zuko had been talking about this surprise for weeks, and Katara was only happy to give into his antics.

"And… open them!" Zuko announced happily. Katara opened her eyes to find Zuko standing in front of her, a cave behind him.

"A cave?" she asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

Zuko smiled at her attempt and held up his hands in a signal for her to let him explain. "Not just a cave, but what's inside the cave." And, as if on a cue, a slight roar could be heard from within the depths of the rock. Following the roar, a pair of yellow eyes broke through the darkness.

"Zuko?" Katara asked hesitantly as he stepped toward the creature.

"Come on, she won't harm you," he assured, holding his hand out for Katara to take.

"She?" she questioned, but still grabbed his hand after a momentary pause.

"Yes, she." Zuko led Katara closer to the entrance of the cave. Swiftly, the beast from within slithered into the sunlight and Katara gasped at the sight. A dragon.

"How-? When-?" Katara spluttered, searching for the right question to ask first.

Zuko laughed as he pulled her toward the blue beast. "Uncle and I asked if we could help bring them back. This is first new dragon the world has seen in many decades. When I saw it hatch a few years ago, I knew I wanted to surprise you with it. It's the exact same color as-"

"-my eyes," Katara finished for him. The dragon was a light blue, just as the ocean and the sky and her eyes. She turned to Zuko and smiled. "She's beautiful."

"Yes, she is," Zuko agreed, but his tone left her wondering if he was talking about the dragon or herself. But she was quickly drawn away from that thought as Zuko strode up to the dragon and climbed onto her back.

"Zuko," she hissed, searching the dragon for any intention of an attack.

"It's fine, see?" He gestured around at his unharmed state. "Now get up here." Zuko held out his hand and looked at her expectantly. When she still refused to move he smirked and said, "Unless you're too afraid."

"I am not!" Katara huffed angrily, ignoring Zuko's proffered hand and climbing on top of the dragon herself. "See?" She turned around and stared at Zuko triumphantly.

"Good. Now hang on for the next part."

"The next part? Zuko what are you-" But her tirade was cut off by a scream as the dragon began to ascend into the air. "Zuko!"

"Don't worry!" he shouted over the rushing wind. "I've got you!" As if to prove his point, he grasped Katara's waist, holding her tightly to him.

After the initial shock of flight, Katara felt a sense of euphoria overcome her. This was nothing like riding on Appa. This felt more solid, more real. Like the risk of flying was something more than it was.

And as she felt the arms encircled around her tighten, she was reminded that this ride was like her relationship with Zuko. It was riskier, sure, and definitely filled with more danger, but the joys and the euphorias she felt along the way were worth much, much more.

* * *

_Thoughts?_

**-princessmelia**


	3. Voices

_**A/N-** A short but effective one for today._

* * *

The voices pushed at Zuko's mind daily.

"_Firelord Zuko, the counsel has come to an agreement regarding your latest statutes…"_

Each offering what they thought would be the best advice.

"_You should take a day off for once. I could teach you how to walk on your hands if you want."_

Sometimes they were nice.

"_As I've said before, nephew, a cup of tea and meditation can do wonders for the mind."_

Others were not.

"_Maybe we shouldn't be in a relationship while you're under so much pressure."_

And his family mostly mocked him…

"_Oh, has Zuzu come to visit little old me? Has the pressure of ruling a nation become too much for my big brother that he had to come and ask for my advice?"_

… or made him feel worse than before.

"_I knew you were never meant for the throne, my son."_

But at the end of the day, there was only one voice he really wanted to listen to.

"_If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you, Zuko. I know the throne hasn't been easy and won't be any easier, but I'm here to help in any way I can. And remember, I love you no matter what."_

And that voice, the one that sounded like the ocean calmly crashing on the beach, was the only one that really mattered.

* * *

_Thoughts?_

**-princessmelia**


	4. Gravity

_**A/N-** I think I liked how this one turned out. Let me know what you think!_

* * *

Katara was not usually a fan of gravity. There had been many times in her life that it had proven to be a nuisance.

Like when she was five and gravity caused her to fall into the hole her father and brother were using for ice fishing. That was not a fun experience.

Or the time she and Toph were trying to pass as dignified ladies and gravity had made her fall after tripping on her skirt.

Overall, she and gravity had not been the best of friends.

But there was, however, one time she thanked gravity at the end of the day.

It had been a cool day in the Earth Kingdom when the whole Gaang had shown up at Toph's house to celebrate her birthday. It was so nice, in fact, that they all had decided to go for a walk in the local park.

The rest of the group had pulled ahead, but Zuko and Katara were hanging neat the back, not in a rush and taking their time to enjoy the day. Life had been busy for both of them since the end of the war and taking a slow pace was a nice relief.

Up above a hawk-crow let out a cry, drawing Katara's attention toward the sky. "Zuko, look!" she exclaimed, rushing up the nearest hill to get a better look. "Isn't it gorgeous?"

"It's alright, I suppose," Zuko said non-committal, shrugging his shoulders with indifference.

"But look at the wing patterns," she said, pointing up. "They're so rare to be that color. And did you know-" But as Katara turned to inform Zuko, gravity sent her reeling backwards, struggling against it all the way down the hill. Scrambling to get her feet under her, Katara would have surely hit the ground if it weren't for the strong arms that caught her.

From her position in the dip of his arms, Katara could see Zuko's gold eyes perfectly. Surprise was present within them as well as relief. And there was another emotion in there, one she couldn't quite place. Something like affection. But no, that wasn't right. It was more than affection. It was a warm fondness, almost like love.

A blush heated her cheeks when she realized that she had been in his arms for longer than necessary, but couldn't seem to find the will to stop herself or him from ending their predicament. And the longer they stayed that way, the less awkward it became. Reaching a hand up to Zuko's face, she gently caressed his cheeks, feeling the warmth that was always present in Zuko's skin there.

And then slowly, ever so slowly, he dipped his head down to her mouth and kissed her gently. Grasping his hair, Katara pulled him closer, deepening the kiss she didn't know she'd been longing for.

When they finally pulled apart, neither one of them seemed keen to break the silence or their position until Sokka's voice cut through the air. "Hey, are you to coming or what?"

Quickly straightening up, Katara called forward, "Be right there!"

And that night before she went to bed, Katara thanked whoever was listening for the gravity that sent her tumbling into his arms.

* * *

_Thoughts?_

**-princessmelia**


	5. Bound

_**A/N-** I wish I had more time to expand this. Maybe some day I'll come back and add more._

* * *

For most of her life, Katara had been bound to one soul: Aang. And for that part of her life, it was good, great even. She loved Aang more than anyone and was happy to share her life with him. And after he was gone, and the new Avatar had been found, she committed herself to helping Korra find her way just as Aang had.

But Korra was grown now and old enough to look after herself. For the first time in her life, Katara was free from any ties binding her. It felt strange, being alone in the world. Like her life had lost a little bit of meaning. Sure, she could visit her children and grandchildren, but they were growing up now as well and had their own lives to live.

And so one day, while looking through some of her memorabilia of the past (the theatre poster _from Ember Island_, Aang's old Air nomad clothes, and her spirit water necklace), Katara decided it was time for a trip to last member of the Gaang. Packing most of her belongings, Katara arranged to leave on the fastest ship the next week to the Fire Nation. Writing a letter to her friend that very night, she sent it ahead of her in the hopes that he would be ready and willing to receive her soon.

The night before she was due to depart, she received her reply from Zuko. Of course he would be happy to receive her in his palace. He'd been meaning to invite her for several months now, but couldn't seem to find the time. He looked forward to her visit and was eager to greet her with warm regards.

When Katara finally arrived, she was greeted by a small party of guards who escorted her to the garden of the palace where Zuko was waiting. He dismissed the guards and greeted her kindly, making small talk about their children and the new Avatar. They stayed in the garden most of the afternoon, reminiscing about old times, arguing about who had one which fights over the years, and laughing over memories neither of them had thought about in years.

After the first day, the old friends quickly fell into a routine. In the morning and afternoons they would share a cup of tea, and once a week they would practice bending together. Some days, if Zuko wasn't terribly busy, they would walk around the garden, making each other laugh and regal stories of the past.

Yes, the two hadn't been able to spend their lives together, bound as they were to others. But now, for this small amount of time they had been granted, they could be bound to each other. And for Katara, that was enough.

* * *

_Thoughts? Prompts?_

**-princessmelia**


	6. Soothe

_**A/N-** Okay, so this one delves into some pretty deep and emotional stuff, so I suppose don't read if you don't like that kind of stuff. But it does get happy in the end!_

* * *

When Zuko opened the door to their bed chambers, he heard the muffled sobs of Katara crying from within. Concerned and beginning to feel worry gnaw at his stomach, he rushed into the room calling out "Katara?"

He found her alone in her old Water Tribe clothes (never a good sign, she only did that when she was truly upset), weeping into a pillow that was held in her lap. "Katara? What's wrong?" He came and sat beside her, feeling his stomach twist further and further with each of her sobs. Wrapping an arm around her, he was surprised that she was unresponsive to his touch. Where she would normally have leapt into his arms, crying deep into his shoulder, she did nothing but keep her head into the pillow and continue to cry violently.

"Katara," he said gently, trying to coax her into confiding with him. This wasn't like her, keeping things boiled up inside. That was him. She was the instigator of their emotional talks, not he. "Please, tell me what's wrong?"

She finally brought her head up out the pillow, but kept hugging it to her stomach. "It's, it's the-" she hiccupped through her tears, "the baby," she finished before sobbing again.

"The baby?" Zuko's eyes went wide and his heart stopped beating. "What happened?" He tried to keep his voice calm, for her sake, but even he could hear the tremble in it.

"I lost it." The words were a whisper. And suddenly, the pillow cradled in front of her stomach made sense. Zuko found his heart had begun beating again, twice as fast as before, and he pulled Katara in close. She finally accepted the contact and hugged him close to her, crying freely into her shoulder.

Gently, he smoothed back her tangled hair, trying to soothe and calm her.

"What if I can't ever have one?" Katara asked, voice muffled and broken by the sobs. "Maybe you should've married Mai. She's already had three and-"

Zuko pulled her away then, finding her gaze and holding. "Don't you ever say that, Katara. I love you. _You_ are the one that brings light into my life; _you_ are the one that makes me feel alive; _you_ are the one that I chose to spend eternity with. So don't you dare bring yourself down because of this. If it never happens, then we'll manage. Because I will always love you. And nothing can change that." Then he kissed her forehead fiercely before planting softer and softer kisses down her face, kissing away the tears before landing gently on her lips.

When they broke apart, Zuko settled Katara against his chest, allowing her to listen to the steady rhythm of his heart. "I love you too, Zuko," Katara whispered before falling asleep in his arms.

* * *

_Thoughts? _

**-princessmelia**


	7. Spark

_**A/N-** And this concludes Zutara Week 2013. Hope to see you all next year!_

* * *

It had been weeks since Mai had left Zuko, but Iroh didn't see his nephew's condition becoming any better. Ever since the two had split, Zuko had become more sullen, more reserved, even for him. No one could seem to break through the emotional barrier he had built around himself. Suki tried to engage him in chess while Ty Lee attempted to teach him acrobats, but their friend would have none of it. He performed his duties as Firelord, ate meals with Iroh, and then retired to his room.

"Why don't you come to the beach with me today, Firelord Zuko?" Iroh attempted one morning. "I bet the fresh air will do wonders for you."

"Not today, Uncle," Zuko declined, not unkindly, but certainly not with any warmth either.

"Then when, Zuko?" Iroh exploded. "You have done nothing but mope around this palace for weeks! You have to keep on living your life." His tone softened. "I know it is hard, my nephew, but you must grieve and move on. Don't forget that I am not unaccustomed to loss."

Zuko ran a hand through his hair, sighing out of his mouth. "I know that, Uncle. I just- I need more time." And with that he turned and walked briskly away.

Iroh sighed at Zuko's retreating back. Maybe he needed to enlist some help in order to get through to his nephew.

Katara showed up within the week of Iroh's letter. It had been over a month now since Zuko and Mai had broken up and his nephew showed no signs of moving forward with his life.

"I want to thank you again for coming," Iroh greeted Katara as she stepped off the boat.

"It's my pleasure," she replied with a smile. "I'm always happy to help out a friend."

"He needs it."

Katara grimaced before replying. "Yes, well, it seems we're all becoming experts on break-ups lately." She sighed before smiling gently again. "So how is the tea shop going?"

"Well. You wouldn't believe the new flavors I've had time to make in the past few months…" The two continued to talk as they walked towards the palace. Katara was shown to her rooms and Iroh went to go inform his nephew of their honored guest.

"You brought who here?"

Zuko was taking the news less pleasantly than Iroh had anticipated.

"Katara is merely here to be your friend. It is my impression that you are desperately in need of one right now."

Zuko groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. "Then why didn't you invite Sokka, Aang, or even Toph?"

"I do not understand your behavior, Firelord Zuko. Katara is a lovely girl and-"

"I know that Uncle. It's just that- lately…"

"Yes?" Iroh prompted.

"Do you know why Mai and I broke up?" he asked suddenly.

"No," Iroh responded, a leading tone in his voice.

Zuko sighed again and answered, "Let's just say that Katara's presence here doesn't help anything."

"Aw, I see." Iroh said knowingly, nodding his head. "You have feelings for the young lady."

"No!" Zuko began blushing. "I mean, maybe." He groaned again. "I don't know."

"Well, why don't you meet with her tomorrow morning? You two could do some bending together. And then you can see if your feelings are real."

"Do you think that will work?" Zuko asked, a desperate hope in his eyes.

"I believe so, nephew." Iroh smiled.

The next morning he walked by the training grounds, watching the young pair spar back and forth. Katara was frequently stopping to show Zuko a water bending form he could use for fire. In return, Zuko would show her a form she could use for water.

As Zuko stood behind Katara and guided her arms into the correct form, Iroh swore he saw a spark in his nephew's eyes that he hadn't seen in over a month.

Humming quietly to himself, Iroh strode away, a pleased smile on his lips. It seemed zuko would be moving on with his life very shortly.

* * *

_Thoughts?_

**-princessmelia**


End file.
